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Ghostbusters (1984 film)
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American fantasy comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. It stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as, respectively, Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, and Egon Spengler, a trio of eccentric parapsychologists who start a ghost-catching business in New York City. The film also stars Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis, and features Annie Potts, William Atherton, and Ernie Hudson in supporting roles. Based on his own fascination with spirituality, Aykroyd conceived Ghostbusters as a project for himself and John Belushi, with the protagonists traveling through time and space to combat a host of demonic and supernatural threats. Following Belushi's death, and with Aykroyd's concept deemed financially impractical, he was paired with Ramis to rewrite the script to set it in New York City and make it more realistic. Ghostbusters was the first comedy film to employ expensive special effects, and there was concern about the budget it would require and little faith in its potential box office success. On an approximate $25–30 million budget, filming took place between October 1983 to January 1984, on location in New York City and Los Angeles, and on sets at Burbank Studios, Los Angeles. Competition for special effects studios among various movies in development at the time meant that part of the budget was used to co-found a new studio under Richard Edlund, who used a combination of practical effects, miniatures, and puppets to deliver the ghoulish visuals. Ghostbusters was released on June 8, 1984, to critical acclaim, becoming a cultural phenomenon. It was well-received for its deft blend of comedy, action, and horror, and Murray's performance was repeatedly singled out for praise. The film earned $282.2 million during its initial theatrical run, making it the second highest-grossing film of that year, and the then highest-grossing comedy of all time. Also, it was the number 1 film in theatres for 7 consecutive weeks and was one of only four films to gross more than $100 million that year. Further theatrical releases have increased this total to approximately $295.2 million, making it the most successful comedy film of the 1980s. In 2015, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". It's theme song, "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr., was also a number 1 hit. Ghostbusters was followed in 1989 by a sequel, Ghostbusters II, which fared less well financially and critically. Repeated attempts to develop a further sequel were halted follow Ramis' death in 2014, after which a 2016 reboot also called Ghostbusters was released to mixed reviews and financial failure. A second, direct sequel Ghostbusters 2020 is scheduled for release in 2020. Alongside its impact on popular culture, and a dedicated fan following, the success of Ghostbusters launched a multi-billion dollar multimedia franchise including the popular animated television series The Real Ghostbusters (which itself spawned a media franchise), its sequel series Extreme Ghostbusters, video games, board games, comic books, clothing, music, books, food, toys, collectables, and haunted houses. Plot Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, and Egon Spengler are scientists investigating the paranormal in their employ at Columbia University. Following their first encounter with a physical ghost presence at the New York Public Library, the trio is fired by the university dean who is dismissive of their research. In response, they found "Ghostbusters", a paranormal investigation and elimination service. They open their business in a disused firehouse, develop high-tech equipment to capture and contain ghosts, and convert a combination car into the "Ectomobile" to support their business. Business, at first, is slow until they are hired to remove a ghost from the Sedgewick hotel. There, Egon warns the group never to cross the energy streams of their proton pack weapons, as this could cause a catastrophic explosion. They capture their first ghost, Slimer, and deposit it in a special containment unit in the firehouse. Their success sees the ghost busting business boom as paranormal activity increases across New York City. They hire a fourth member, Winston Zeddemore, to cope with demand. The Ghostbusters are retained by cellist Dana Barrett, whose apartment is haunted by a demonic spirit, Zuul, a demigod worshiped as a servant to Gozer the Gozerian, a shape-shifting god of destruction. Venkman competes with Dana's neighbor, accountant Louis Tully, for her affections. As the Ghostbusters investigate, Dana is possessed by Zuul the Gatekeeper, while Louis is possessed by her counterpart, Vinz Clortho the Keymaster. Both demons speak of awaiting a sign of the coming of "Gozer the Gozerian". The Ghostbusters take steps to keep the two apart. Walter Peck, an Environmental Protection Agency inspector, has the Ghostbusters arrested for operating as unlicensed waste handlers. He orders their ghost containment system deactivated, causing an explosion that releases all the captured ghosts, serving as the sign of Gozer's coming. The released spirits wreak havoc throughout New York City, allowing Louis/Vinz to escape. In jail, the Ghostbusters consult blueprints of Dana's apartment building and learn that mad doctor and cult leader Ivo Shandor, declaring humanity too sick to exist after World War I, designed the building to act as a gateway to summon Gozer and bring about the end of the world. The Ghostbusters are released from custody by the mayor to combat the supernatural crisis. On the apartment building roof, Dana/Zuul and Louis/Vinz open the gate between dimensions and transform into supernatural hellhounds. Gozer, in the form of a woman, arrives and is attacked by the team. Gozer's physical form vanishes, but her voice demands that the Ghostbusters "choose the form of the destructor". Ray inadvertently recalls a beloved corporate mascot from his childhood and Gozer appears in the form of a giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man that proceeds to attack the city. Egon tells the team to ignore his earlier advice and cross their proton energy streams at Gozer's portal. The resulting explosion closes the gate, destroys the Marshmallow Man, and banishes Gozer back to its dimension. The Ghostbusters rescue Dana and Louis from the charred corpses of Zuul and Vinz, and are welcomed on the street as heroes. Cast *Bill Murray as Peter Venkman *Dan Aykroyd as Raymond Stantz *Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett *Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler *Rick Moranis as Louis Tully *Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz *William Atherton as Walter Peck *Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore Category:1984 releases Category:Movies Category:Horror movies Category:Sony Pictures Category:Theatrical releases Category:Comedy Movies